CRMC Mustangs spoil CIT-U’s Final Four dreams in CESAFI

CEBU, Philippines — Heading to their last game,

the Cebu Roosevelt Memorial Colleges (CRMC) Mustangs positioned themselves for a jubilant farewell after dashing the Final Four hopes of the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats via  a 73-70 nail-biter in the Cebu Schools Athletic

Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Season 24 men’s basketball tournament last Tuesday night, November 19, at the Cebu Coliseum.

Redjhee Recimento was the man of the hour for the Mustangs of coach Paul Alelu Flores, firing in 20 points on a spectacular 8-of-10 shooting from the field.

Team captain Paulo Dalumpines also made a good account of himself with 12 points, five rebounds, six assists and six steals in a dazzling all-around performance that helped the Mustangs leapfrog from eighth to sixth place in college division standings with their second win in seven games.

Actually, the Wildcats could have forced an overtime but Jerian Marc Abello missed a wide open 3-pointer as the time expired.

Matthew Paras netted 18 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals, while Abello finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and two steals but their efforts went for naught as the Wildcats kissed their bid for a historic semifinals entry goodbye after dropping to 2-5.

In high school play, Jelomar Rota produced a monster double-double show of 28 points and 16 rebounds, Arturo Manuel Teruel scored 16, while Lars Fjellvang added 11 points and 10 rebounds as the two-time defending champions Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles decimated the Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC)-Cebu Greywolves, 92-58, to secure the No.2 spot going to the semifinals with a 9-1 slate.

That gave the Grand Slam-seeking Magis Eagles a twice-to-beat advantage over their bitter rivals University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers in the semis.